What’s the Difference Between Turtles, Tortoises, and Terrapins?

#953 WONDER OF THE DAY

We were sitting alongside a stream in Wonderopolis the other day when we heard a squirrel, a badger, and a moose having an odd conversation:

Squirrel: Hey! Look at that turtle swimming in the water over there.

Badger: You mean the tortoise sunbathing on the shoreline?

Moose: No, I think he means that terrapin doing the backstroke.

Squirrel: You guys are nuts!

Turtles? Tortoises? Terrapins? What’s going on here? Are these completely different animals or are the squirrel, badger, and moose just using nicknames for the same animal?

Turtle, tortoise, and terrapin are all names for the hard-shelled, egg-laying reptiles in the taxonomic order Chelonia. Basically, they’re all turtles. The exact name used for a particular type of turtle, though, can vary depending upon where they live or where YOU live.

People in different parts of the world use different names depending upon the specific type of turtle they’re talking about. For example, the name “turtle” is used most widely and usually refers to those turtles that spend most of their lives in or near the water.

Turtle is often used to refer to sea turtles that rarely leave the ocean. Of course, turtle can also refer to the many types of turtles that live in fresh water, such as lakes or ponds.

The word “tortoise,” on the other hand, is usually used to refer to turtles that spend most of their time on land, eating shrubs and grasses. Unlike their aquatic relatives, tortoises don’t have webbed feet, since they don’t spend much, if any, time in the water.

So what about “terrapins”? Terrapins are turtles that spend time both on land and in brackish, swampy water. The word “terrapin” comes from an Algonquian Indian word meaning “a little turtle.”

Of course, these are all just generalizations and, depending upon where you live, these terms may be interchanged or used in different ways. Do you know what these animals are called where you live? If not, ask around. You might be surprised to learn what words different people use for different types of turtles!

39Join the Discussion

Thoughts: I was really surprised that sea turtle spend little time in the water. (Lupe) I thought different names of turtles came from different regions or areas. (Andrew)

Connections: This reminds me of Flat Rock Camp because I have a picture of me petting a turtle. (Briahna) This reminds me of Mother’s Day because I got my grandma a flag with a turtle on it. (Gabrielle)

Predictions: How do doorbells work? (Shalize) Who is Marco Polo? (Maria) How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop? (Jake) Who invented “Knock Knock” jokes? (Gisselle)

WOW, we’re so excited for your trip to Florida, Wonder Friend Grant! We hope you see animals and reptiles of all sorts, including turtles! We Wonder if you have a favorite reptile? Will it be at the aquarium?

Have a great time in Florida and tell us all about your awesome adventure!

Our class has many connections because we have seen turtles before!
How did the camera get under the water for the video?
We predict tomorrow’s wonder will be about Knock Knock jokes, a haunted house, hide and seek, scaring someone, knocking on a door, a stranger, a ghost, or an owl.

Good morning, Froggy1! How cool to know that so many of you have seen turtles before! They sure are WONDERful creatures!

We are happy that you’ve been thinking about how we can check out the turtles underwater. Technology is a WONDERful thing, and there are cameras that are waterproof! This way, we can watch what’s happening under the sea!

Thank you for sharing your comments and predictions with us. Great work using the context clues!

What a SUPER guess for tomorrow’s Wonder, Mrs. Shields Class! We are so glad you have been thinking about all the different Wonders that could come from the “Wonder what’s next” clue! Have you checked out our joking Wonder #181– Who Invented the Knock-Knock Joke? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/who-invented-the-knock-knock-joke/

Hey there, Mason! Thanks for visiting us today! We Wonder what you’ve learned from today’s turtle-riffic Wonder? We are so glad you shared your comment today, but we have lots of Wonder Friends to say hello to! We might not be able to respond to your comment immediately, but we will certainly say hello in due time!

Today’s Wonder of the Day was nice because we enjoyed watching the turtle swim around. One of our classmates has a pet turtle. We thought it was fascinating learning about turtles, tortoises and terrapins.

The clue for tomorrow’s wonder makes us want to tell 100 knock-knock jokes!

Thank you so much, Tyler! We’re glad you visited us today to Wonder about turtles and tortoises, and terapins, too! Who knew there was a difference?! Thanks for sharing your prediction, too! Great guess!

I knew there was something different between the three, but I never knew what the difference was. Wonderopolis told me! I can’t wait to read tomorrow’s wonder. I think it is about the mystery or horror genre.

HOORAY, we love your comment today, Sam! Way to go– you are on your way to becoming a reptile expert! Thanks so much for sharing your comment and your prediction, too! We Wonder if you have checked out Wonder #752– Do You Get Spooked Easily? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/do-you-get-spooked-easily/

Hey there, miiD! Thanks for WONDERing with us today! You did a great job of sharing what you learned from this Wonder! We think turtles are pretty cool, and so are you! Have a great day, Wonder Friend!

I am so glad that this was today’s Wonder! I am doing a Summer Reading Program and one of our weeks is about turtles, so I can definitely use a lot of the information from today’s Wonder! Thanks, guys!

Hey there, Stephanie! We’re thrilled to hear that this Wonder is going to help you through the Summer Reading Program! WOOHOO for WONDERing about turtles! Thanks so much for telling us about your connection to this Wonder- we’re glad to help!

Wonder Gallery

Wonder Words

Try It Out

Turtles? Tortoises? Terrapins? Oh my! Keep the learning going by checking out one or more of the following activities with a friend of family member:

Aren’t turtles just the cutest? Or do you prefer tortoises? Maybe you think terrapins are the best. Whichever creature — or name — you prefer, turtles have been a favorite animal of children for ages. Jump online with a friend or family member to check out this fantastic Turtles, Tortoises, and Terrapins Photo Gallery. Which creatures do you think are the coolest? Why?

If you had a backbone and a shell, what would you prefer to be called? Turtle? Tortoise? Terrapin? Something else entirely? What if you were also a mutant ninja in your teenage years? Put your brain into overdrive and fire up the ol’ imagination. Also get out your colored pencils, crayons or markers, and get ready to create a name tag that shows off — in a colorful way — what name you’d choose if you had a shell. Use one or more of these coloring sheets to help get you started:

When you’re finished, share your creation with the rest of your Wonder Friends on Facebook! We can’t wait to see what you come up with.

Up for a challenge? Create a Venn diagram that compares how turtles, tortoises, and terrapins are similar and different. Check out How To Make a Venn Diagram if you need a little help getting started. Make sure that the areas where your circles (Hint: You should have three circles!) overlap should have those characteristics that turtles, tortoises, and terrapins share. Those things that are unique to each individual creature should be in the area outside where the circles overlap. Have fun and be sure to share your completed Venn diagram with a friend or family member. Do they understand what you’re trying to communicate? If not, you might need to revise your Venn diagram to make it clearer!

Still Wondering

Illuminations’ Get the Turtle to the Pond lesson provides opportunities for creative problem solving while encouraging young students to estimate length and angle measure.